title: Pathways to adult sexual revictimization: direct and indirect behavioral risk factors across the lifespan.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate direct and indirect social and behavioral risk factors for adult sexual revictimization. Participants include 147 adult, predominantly African American (88%) women, 59% of whom had a documented history of child sexual abuse. Participants are interviewed in adulthood about adolescent and adult sexual victimization as well as other background and lifestyle characteristics. Structural equation modeling indicates that the relationship between child and adolescent sexual victimization is indirect, mediated by adolescent risk-taking behavior. The relationship between adolescent and adult sexual victimization is also indirect, mediated by risky sexual behavior. The residual effects of early childhood family environment and childhood physical abuse also indirectly predict sexual revictimization. Results provide empirical support for the general supposition that the relationship between child and adult sexual victimization is complex and that many intermediary factors differentially affect risk for a heightened vulnerability to sexual revictimization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Utah State University, 2810 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-2810, USA. jamison.fargo@usu.edu
authors.forename: Jamison D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fargo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012951:Socialization; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs